Powell sidelined by knee injury

Ryan Powell has started five of this season's six Premiership games

Worcester Warriors could be without scrum-half Ryan Powell for two months.

Powell, who has been Mike Ruddock's first choice number nine for much of the season, picked up a knee ligament injury in Friday's 17-9 win at Sale.

"It is a big shame for him as he has been very competitive in that scrum-half position," Ruddock told BBC Hereford and Worcester.

"He'll be gutted to be out, after becoming first choice, but we do have cover at scrum-half."

Powell's replacement at Edgeley Park on Friday night, Matt Powell, will almost certainly take over against Newcastle at Sixways this Friday night.

Johnny Arr and Ben Jones, who joined Warriors from Doncaster in the summer, will both be in contention for the place of reserve scrum-half on the bench.

Jones' only start for the Warriors so far came in the 22-5 EDF Cup win against London Irish in October.

England Under-20 international Arr, 19, made the first-team breakthrough last season but has only started one Premiership game.

Arr was part of a strong Warriors 'A' squad to face Cambridge University at Grange Road on Monday.

Jake Abbott captains the side, with the likes of Joe Carlisle, Graham Kitchener and British Lion Darren Morris in the starting line-up. And the team also features England Sevens players Matt Cox and Charlie Fellows.

There will be full commentary on Worcester v Newcastle (21 November, 2000 GMT) on BBC Hereford and Worcester, on 104 fm and on line.